Into The Unknown
by Lady Amerisa
Summary: Was 7 days enough? Could you truly put a time restriction on love?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

A little KagomeXTatsuo action for those who are in love with the pairing from my more popular story, "Inferno."

**Chapter 1:** Utter Doom

"Sango, do you really think all of this is necessary? I wouldn't wear this on the hottest day." Dangled from the tips of Kagome's fingers was a bright red one-piece. Although by how many cuts were put into the design it may have just been a piece of frabric held together by a series of thin strings.

"Oh can it, Kagome you're being a prude! You have an amazing body. Perky boobs, soft cures, a cute butt, and blue eyes that any girl would kill to have! Why you don't want to show off these assets I have no clue," Sango shook her head and took the bathing suit from Kagome's hands to place it back on the rack.

"Geez Sango you act like I dress like a nun every other day of the week! How can you sit here and tell me that this is cute?!" Gesturing down to her outfit, Kagome twirled in place, her black and white maxi skirt fluttering around her.

Sango nodded in agreement. Yes her friend did dress nicely, there wasn''t a problem there. With her hair up in the purposefully messy bun, her top fit snugly in a billowy black crop top showing a peak of her toned stomach, and paired with a black and white striped maxi skirt Kagome wasn't failing in the fashion department.

"Yes Kagome, your outfit was cute and if I were gay or a man I would totally want to hit it. Even now I'm entertaning the idea but for what we want to accomplish we're going to have to get a little more wild and crazy with your clothes! Take this," Sango reached into the rack and pulled out a black spandex romper that stopped just short of the butt and had a low rhinestone-studded bustier. "This is what you wear when you're trying to show a man just how muc he hurt you and just what he's leaving behind."

Kagome sighed, her demeanor deflating and good mood crumbling. "Sango, there's no we in this, only you. You want me to dress like this so Inuyasha will feel like crap. Not me. In the end, it will still be me feeling like crap because it won't bring Inuyasha back."

Sango thrusted the clothes into Kagome's arm. Looking straight into her eyes, Sango wouldn't back down. "Who says that it won't?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes, pushing the clothes back towards Sango. "Who says I even want him back? What he did, I'm still healing from. To bring that garbage back into my life just as I as beginning to heal...that's the worst idea."

Sango stared at Kagome for a few, agonizingly quiet minutes. Throwing the romper into the cart, Sango smiled evily. "All the more reason to do this. If you don't want him back, then you can make him suffer."

"But Sango! You know what they say! An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. I'm much more happy with leaving Inuyasha alone and moving on with my life."

Sango stopped moving. Turning to her friend. all traces of playfullness left her face, her expression turned grim and serious as a frown tugged at her glossy lips.

"Kagome, Inuyasha did more damage than you think when he left you. You became a shell of your formal self. You no longer wanted to hang out with me or any of our other friends. You holed yourself up in your apartment crying yourself to sleep and near death! You were underweight by 20 pounds! And then when I was finally able to at least get you out of the house, that inflated egotistical jerk strutted back into your life like he owned it with a new girlfriend on his arm! And that's not even the worse part!"

Kagome looked down, a feeble attempt to hide her watering eyes as the memories came rushing back, like a speeding locomotive.

"He had the audacity to compare you to her! Every chance he got, every time he was around you! Calling you out of your name, treating you like trash, and all because what?! You looked like that bimbo? Like it was your fault? As if you were trying to be her? Neither Inuyasha nor Kikyou know you from a damn hole in the ground!"

"Ma'm...is everything ok?"

Sango, huffing angrily turned to the slightly shaken employee. Not releazing her voice had raised to impressively loud levels she had attracted the attention of nearly the entire store.

"I'm sorry...I just...me and my friend were having a discussion and I got...emotional." Sango crossed her arms, quickly feeling bad for bringing this unwanted attention onto her friend, who by this point was shedding endless tears and clutching hard onto the strap of her purse.

"Ok ma'm welll just keep it down. The other customers are trying to shop in peace," the employee stated.

Sango waved him away. "Yeah, yeah I'll quiet down."

The employee left the two in a strain silence, soon interrupted with the sounds of the customers around them resuming their shopping and Kagome's sniffles.

"Look," Sango pulled Kagome into a hug. "I'm not saying this to make you upset. Moreso to just realize that this guy cause you emotional turmoil that led to you hurting yourself physically and mentally. I'm not saying we go full out Kill Bill on his ass but don't you think it's at least worth it to show him that you're not some toy you can play with, mistreat, and then throw away when you're not needed?"

Kagome hesitated, before pulling back and giving a small nod. "I guess I see what you're saying..."

"Good. Let's make a deal. How about I pick out your clothes for the week. All you have to do is wear everything I've gotten you. You won't have to do anything other than be yourself." Smiling brightly Sango waited in building anticipation for her best friend's answer.

Kagome pondered her friend's words. It was true that she wasn't one for confrontation but Inuyasha had scarred her more than she would like to admit. While she didn't want to stoop to his level, a small part of her screamed for payback, for atonement for his cruel actions against her.

_'If wearing these clothes will give me that satisfaction, who am I to deny it?'_

"Ok...I'll do it..."

"Yes!"

"But!" Kagome placed a hand on Sango's forehead, stopping her friend's failed attempt to cabbage patch.

"How is wearing these clothes going to get back at Inuyasha? Even if he's still remotely attracted me, that's not doing anything but making her look even more like a piece of meat."

"That's where I come in. Just sit back, relax, wear the clothes, and let momma Sango take care of the rest!" Clapping her hands together, Sango sped out of the bottoms section of the store and straight into the one for Ladie's underwear and lingurie.

Slapping a hand on her forehead, Kagome could only give in and trudge after her crazy best friend, who at this point had thrown in a colorful array of stockings, bustiers, bras, thongs, and-was that edible underwear?!

"This is gonna be interesting..."

"Is there a reason you invited him again?"

Miroku sighed, he should have known this would create a problem.

"I'm sorry Tatsuo, but Inuyasha is my best friend and we do this trip every year! It would be wrong for me to not invite him."

Tatsuo's frowned deepened. "It would be wrong to even talk to the guy. I don't understand how you can even be around him." He began throwing his clothes into his suitcase, not caring about how they were placed as he let his anger take over.

"Look Tatsuo man, I know you don't like the guy but what he did has nothing to do with you-"

Tatsuo whirled around, "That's not the point man and you know it. Inuyasha is the type of guy I grew up hating. And to hear how he treated his last girlfriend disgusts me. Then having the nerve to brag about it with his snobby ass girlfriend right in front of my face, laughing as if that shit was actually funny?! He disgusts me and I wish I wouldn't have to spend a week in his presence." He stormed over to the bathroom.

Miroku only shook his head and took a seat on Tatsuo's bed. "I know how you feel man, especially with your situation."

"My situation?" Tatsuo's voice echoed from the bathroom.

"Your mom, man." Tatsuo's head peaked from behind the bathroom door.

"Which is why I harbor even more disgust for Inuyasha." 

Within their circle of friends it was no secret the horrors that Tatsuo's mom went through with her husband. She was the victim of constant cheating, lies, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and isolation all at the hands of Tatsuo's dad, Dae-Su who he tried his hardest not to be like. His mom, Su-Yung had to be one of the most beautiful, sweetest, gentlest, full-of-life woman that Miroku had ever known.

Truth be told, it was Su-Yung who had created the taste of older women in Miroku. But to see that vibrant woman be turned into a scared, scittish, weak, and broken human being had to be one of life's great tragedies.

Both Tatsuo and his mom had never been the same, even after the arresting of his father on charges of domestic violence and armed robbery.

Even though the father was no longer around, Tatsuo and his mom had struggled to repair the pieces of the now broken family.

"I know. But Inuyasha is still my friend. Even though I'm just as disgusted he's also already paid for his portion of the trip. Who am I to say he can't go anymore, and when he can't get a refund?"

Tatsuo departed from the bathroom to lean on the doorway. Running his hands through hair, he couldn't bring himself to speak. His previous anger transitioning into reluctant acceptance.

"All I'm saying is to just avoid Inuyasha as much as you can. I would like for both of you to be there and if the only way I can get you both to go is for you two to spend as little time together as possible, then I'm willing to do that," Miroku pleaded. Tatsuo and Inuyasha were very close to him even though Tatsuo had been gone for the past few years. Putting his mother through rehabilitation was very hard for Tatsuo considering he was the only one with the resources willing to help.

"Ok, ok," Tatsuo said. "Just tell me one thing, the girls are still coming too right?"

Miroku nodded, a bright smile flashing across his face. "Oh definitely, I'm so excited to Sango again. And getting the chance to see her a tiny bikini? Priceless."

"Mhm, and tell me isn't Kagome her best friend?"

"Yeeeeaaaahhhhh...and?"

"Miroku," Tatsuo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Dude, they're best friends and I'm sure before Inuyasha dumped Kagome she used to go every year too..Put two and two together and..."

Miroku's eyes widened as he jumped up, the enormity of the situation finally upon him. "Oh man! I thought having you and Inuyasha on this trip together was bad but him and Kagome?! This is going to be a disaster! The last time they were around each other, Inuyasha nearly destroyed the girl! I can't put Kagome through this!"

"Yeah but just like with Inuyasha, I'm sure she's arleady put in a deposit. We leave for the trip tomorrow." Tatsuo pushed himself away from the doorway to finish loading his last suitcase.

"There's only two words that could possibly describe what is getting ready to be thrust upon us." Miroku threw himself back down on Tatsuo's bed, throwing his arms over his eyes as he laid back.

"Utter Doom."

**A/N: **Don't worry, for those who are reading Inferno, it is still in the works. That story was taking a lot longer to complete than what I originally thought.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sango, you don't think any of this is a little….I don't know…overboard?"

Being stuck in a crowded mall on a Saturday morning with her overzealous, shopaholic best friend was not what Kagome pictured when she wondered how to start her weekend. Especially when said friend was shopping for you and refused to listen to your input.

What was worse was when that very same best friend rebooked their flight to leave at an earlier date rather than the Monday they were scheduled to fly simply because she believed Kagome needed to "face her fears". Kagome had intentionally booked the flight for the date that she did in order for her to avoid running into Inuyasha or what Sango called him, he-who-is-to-be-castrated-upon-sight.

However, Kagome didn't want to look at it as running away from conflict, but more like dodging the unnecessary headache that she desperately wanted to avoid. She didn't want a smudge of misery and unhappiness staining what was supposed to be the most perfect vacation to date.

It wasn't every day you were given a chance to stay at a luxurious and posh timeshare in Bali. She knew Sango's boyfriend Miroku had connections being a travel agent who was blessed enough to rub elbows with the rich and famous but even knowing this he never failed to surprise her.

"Trust me, this is exactly what you need!" Sango exclaimed jubilantly despite her struggles with her luggage

After their little episode in the mall a few days ago, Kagome still had a hard time believing that a change of clothes would do any good in the Inuyasha department; it was incredibly hard to convince Sango otherwise. The woman went on a rampage. Loaded with a credit card and a vision, Sango had gone deaf to Kagome's cries of doubt and insecurity over the matter. In her mind, all she was focused on was getting most what she wanted for her friend: vengeance.

Revenge for the beautiful soul that was almost completely crushed, for the love that was cruelly taken away, and for the heart that was left shattered in the wake of an unforgiving man.

If Kagome didn't want to take action, Sango would and because Sango was such an unstoppable force when her sights were set Kagome didn't have much of a choice in trusting her and going with the flow. Sometimes, in moments like these she wondered if the effort was really worth it.

"I know that look on your face Kagome, I've seen it way too many times to not know what you're thinking." Sango's eyes narrowed as she pointed a slender finger in her friends face, who at this point had straightened and did her best to feign innocence.

"What face?"

"The one you just made .05 seconds ago. The one that you usually make right before you go off running scared because you're too afraid to face your problems."

Kagome gasped, slightly insulted. "Hey! I do too face my problems!"

Sango cocked her hip, placed a hand on it as she waved her hand in the air dismissively. "Oh yeah? Then what do you call booking aflight on a Monday, instead of the beginning of the weekend so you'll have more time in Bali simply because you don't want to be on the same plane as your ex-boyfriend? Kagome, you paid 50 more dollars than you needed to because you wanted to avoid him! That's ridiculous and you know it."

Kagome's face burned with embarrassment. "Well when you say it like that then it sounds bad…"

"Because it is."

Kagome slumped, as if the weight of the world suddenly collapsed on her very petite shoulders. "I just don't want to there to be any problems! I really want to enjoy myself on this vacation and I don't think I can do that when he's around. Can you blame me for not wanting to even ride in the same plane? After everything him and Kikyou have done to me?"

In that moment, Sango seemed to snap out of her vengeance-induced haze and simply looked at her friend, no sister, with understanding. In the midst of her craziness, she had forgotten just how much this situation had scarred Kagome. In her mind if she was going through this, she could fight back. She wasn't afraid to stand up to Inuyasha and his _girlfriend. _She used the term loosely seeing as how she barely viewed Kikyou as a person and more of a home-wrecking snake. But she forgot that this wasn't about what she would do or how she would fight back. It was about Kagome and her feelings. It was about helping her heal and finally overcoming the obstacle that was Inuyasha and Kikyou and proving once and for all that she wasn't a spineless doormat.

"Kagome, I'm sorry." Sango reached over the seats between them to grab her hands. "I forgot just how hard this was for you and instead of thinking about you I was thinking about me and my need to destroy Inuyasha. I promise that when we're in Bali I won't go overboard."

Kagome smiled. "You mean it? You won't?"

"No, I won't!"

"Not even with the clothes?"

"Of course not! Trust me honey, everything I've packed for you will serve a purpose. Since you refuse to outright confront the deadly duo and have banned me from such as well, I've come up with another positively mischievous and brilliant plan to get back at those low-lifes!"Sango said as she let go, stuffing her remaining bags into the compartment above her seat.

Kagome sighed as she followed suit placing her bags in the compartment above her seat which was directly behind Sango's.

"I still feel weird about this, I just don't want to rock the boat or make more trouble. We all paid too much money to waste our time focusing on our problems."

Sango grunted as she finally managed to shove her bag into the compartment and slammed the hatch down.

"Look, I understand how you feel and I wouldn't place you into a position where I would let Inuyasha and Kikyou tear you down. And besides, I know what I'm doing. Don't you trust me?" Sango pouted as she leaned over the back of her seat to question Kagome.

But it wasn't that Kagome didn't trust Sango, it was the fact that maybe she trusted her a little _too_ much. She basically put blind trust into her best friend, who she saw more like the sister she never had but always wanted. The sister of her heart.

"Of course I trust you Sango! But I'm still…nervous about this. I mean look what I'm wearing now! And I'm only on the plane!" Kagome blushed as she tugged at the hem of her tank top.

Sango smirked as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, an air of smugness surrounding her. "Cute right? I picked it out myself-"

"-you picked everything out-"

"-and it accentuates your figure perfectly! You look like a little sexy bohemian princess!"

Dressed in a long-sleeved crème-colored lace shirt tucked into a pair of dark-wash shorts Kagome was nothing short of island ready. Beneath the lace shirt was a pink and white floral tube top, stopping just above her pierced navel, from which hung a diamond-studded anchor. With her dainty feet dressed in brown rope sandals and a flower headband wrapped around the crown of her head, she was a vision of beauty.

But how was it than, that she still felt like the ugly step-sister?

Her face must have echoed her thoughts as Sango suddenly sighed heavily as she plopped down into her own seat. "You're beautiful Kagome, no matter what anyone says or does to you. My job this week is to make sure that Inuyasha sees that and realizes that you don't need him. That he isn't the only guy who would ever want you. That you don't have to settle because someone else can't appreciate you."

Kagome lowered herself into her seat as Sango's words rang loud and true in her mind. She had never been one to have a low-self-esteem so what was different now? Why had Inuyasha's words and actions cut so deep even after all this time?

While she was grateful for the encouragement, all she wanted at the moment was for the plane to fly and whisk her away to a stress-free, Inuyasha-free paradise

But of course, nothing came easy.

"Oh _great_." Sango rolled her eyes as she turned back around to stare heatedly toward the front of the plane.

Kagome leaned forward, cocking her head to the side in order to catch a glimpse of what had caught Sango's attention.

"A walking pile of self-serving, idiotic, moronic, underserving-to-live, pompous, cruel, cowardly piece of crap is making its way back here."

Kagome instantly paled and threw herself against the seat of her chair in order to avoid being spotted. But she knew it was no use, it had been a tradition of sorts for the group to purchase seats that were all near each other every year. Her and Inuyasha always sat next to each other, even bore they started dating. Kagome could only pray that with him dating Kikyou that it would be different.

"Oh wait, make that two pieces of crap coming this way."

Giggling at the animosity displayed in her friend's voice, some of Kagome's anxiety ebbed away with the appearance of Miroku behind the couple. Although, she was still on edge. No matter how quiet she stayed, no matter how good she tried to be those two never ceased to make her feel akin to dirt.

In their presence, she felt her skin literally crawl, her heart stop, her blood drain from her face in fear, and both disgust and hurt consume her being. Never had she felt so many negative emotions all at once; feeling so sad, so angry, and so lonely.

And it was all at the hands of two people.

"Well wench, seems like you've actually had the guts to come on this trip huh? Didn't think you'd show your sad face around us anymore." Inuyasha smirked as he handed Kikyou, who at this moment had turned to glare holes into Kagome's head, a small bag to place in her lap.

"Well considering she paid just like the rest of us, ignoramus, of course she's going. No one, especially me, is going to let you and your bimbo companion ruin a perfectly good time for Kagome, who is more than wanted on this trip than either of you. "Sango stood up from her seat, in which Miroku attempted to push her back down as he took his seat right next to her.

Kagome closed her eyes in exasperation as the two began to argue.

'_This is what I wanted to avoid. Arguments and problems caused simply because my past can't stay where it belongs.'_

Noticing that the argument was intensifying and the other passengers were becoming bothered, Kagome raised herself in order to intercede before flight attendants could.

"Wow Inuyasha,, seems as if no one can take you anywhere. But honestly who would want to?"

Standing in the entry to coach, was someone Kagome thought she would never see again.

"T-Tatsuo?"

Tatsuo rolled his eyes as he heard Inuyasha and Sango begin to verbally assault each other across the isle of the plane.

While any other time he wasn't one to air out dirty laundry, he was proud of Sango for stepping up for Kagome in the manner that she did. Inuyasha needed someone to take him down a peg.

Stepping through and wedging himself between the bickering two, he settled a hard gaze on Inuyasha's anger-ridden face.

"Wow Inuyasha, seems as if no one can take you anywhere. But honestly who would want to?"

He smirked as he watched Inuyasha open his mouth to retaliate.

'_Say it, say something you piece of filth. Give me a reason to-'_

"T-Tatsuo?!"

Tatsuo turned his head to the sound of a voice he had only heard in his dreams for the last few years. There stood, literally, the woman of his dreams.

"Kagome?" Taking hesitant steps toward her, his breath was literally taken away as took in her outfit. _'Geez, was it possible for her to be so cute and alluring at the same time?'_

"It's been a while huh?" He nervously scratched the back of his head and walked toward her, completely ignoring the fuming man behind him. Blushing in embarrassment, his heart sped up as he was rewarded with the sight of one of Kagome's breath-taking smiles.

"Thank you, I can really say the same thing about you," she replied shyly. His body shivered involuntarily as her eyes trailed along his form. "You've….grown."

Indeed he had, growing from a scrawny little adolescent into a chiseled mature man and Kagome could barely keep her eyes from the hard planes of his chest, of which was being hugged with borderline sinful perfection by his black t-shirt.

"That tend to happen after a few years Kagome," Tatsuo chuckled. Glancing down at his ticket and then to the seat beside her, he was utterly pleased to see that he was assigned the isle seat right to the beauty that was Kagome.

"It seems that you're in luck. Looks like I'll be sitting next to you for this flight." Tatsuo waved the ticket about.

Kagome giggled. "Thank goodness, maybe now I'll actually enjoy it."

Sango snickered to herself as Tatsuo and Kagome got comfy into their seats behind her.

"Ummm Sango? Are you ok?" Miroku asked wearily. He loved his girlfriend to pieces and while her antics sometimes amused him, when she was this giddy it downright scared him. He knew what she was capable of and often times tried to be the one out of her line of fire.

"Oh Miroku, I'm more than ok you silly man. This couldn't have been planned more perfectly."

Miroku shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"He won't know what hit him!" Sango whispered harshly.

"Babe, who is he?"

Ignoring Miroku's questions completely, Sango turned to him her eyes ablaze with a look Miroku could only describe as mischievous.

Downright intense and mischievous.

"Oh this is gonna be so great! I'm going to have so much fun with this!"

Miroku gently grabbed her hand. "Baby I love you and I love it when you're happy but you're really starting to freak me out."

"All in due time sweetie. All in due time.


End file.
